Maharashtra’s Deputy Chief Minister, Ajit Pawar, met his uncle and political mentor, Sharad Pawar, in New Delhi on Thursday to celebrate the latter’s 84th birthday. This marked a significant gesture of reconciliation following the political rift and bitter rivalry during the recent state assembly elections between their respective factions of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP).
Ajit, accompanied by senior NCP leaders Praful Patel, Chhagan Bhujbal, and Sunil Tatkare, along with his wife Sunetra and son Parth, visited Sharad Pawar at his official residence. This was the first time Ajit had personally wished his uncle a happy birthday since the NCP split in July 2023.
Reflecting on their relationship, Ajit Pawar said, “Some relations are beyond politics. Politics is not just about criticism. Yashwatrao Chavan (Maharashtra’s first chief minister) taught us cultured politics, and we try to follow that.” Ajit also mentioned that they discussed a range of topics, including recent incidents like the Parbhani violence, disruptions in Parliament, and the expansion of the state cabinet.
Sharad Pawar’s grandnephew, Yugendra, who had contested against Ajit Pawar in the assembly elections, clarified that the meeting was purely a family gathering with no political undertones.
Before the meeting, Ajit had posted his best wishes for Sharad Pawar on X (formerly Twitter). Despite their political differences, the Pawar family came together to celebrate the birthday quietly, with no large-scale party plans this year, a departure from past celebrations.
“We always come to take his blessings on his birthday, and this time, we came to seek Saheb’s blessings,” said Praful Patel after the meeting, echoing the sentiments of other leaders like Bhujbal and Tatkare, who emphasized following the family tradition of honoring Sharad Pawar on his special day.
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